


Second Chances

by Sagasimon



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: And a goodbye, Avengers: Endgame (Movie), Avengers: Endgame (Movie) Spoilers, Fix-It of Sorts, Gen, Loki makes an appearance, Peter makes HP reference, Thor and Loki get kind of a closure, Tony lives, loki is still dead, slight angst, sowwie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-10
Updated: 2019-08-10
Packaged: 2020-08-14 16:50:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,662
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20195527
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sagasimon/pseuds/Sagasimon
Summary: [ENDGAME SPOILERS]An unexpected ally appears to the rescue, just before Tony is about to sacrifice himself for the Universe.Thor gets a chance to say goodbye to his brother.Basically, how I wanted Endgame to end.





	Second Chances

**Author's Note:**

> It’s been a while since I’ve written anything, please be gentle if it seems dumb or OOC, it’s my first time with them (as in Marvel charas) ;A;
> 
> Big, fat thank you to [Rabentochter](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rabentochter/pseuds/Rabentochter) for being my beta! You’re the best!!

Pain. 

Excruciating, overwhelming pain is all he’s able to feel. It starts in his wrist but within seconds it spreads all over his right side, setting his veins on fire. He wants to scream but he doesn’t think he’s able to make a sound, so he settles on deep, agonising breaths, and hopes for everything to stop hurting.

He tries to focus on what he’s supposed to do, on the stones latched onto his gauntlet, on the people he wants to protect and this world, the Universe they want to save…

But his mind is all fuzzy, consciousness slowly slipping away from his grasp.

He needs to...

He has too...

The stones...

Pain. So much agony.

Then it stops, his vision clears and making him jolt forward. He would’ve fallen on his face if not for a tight grip on his chest. Someone seems to be keeping him upright from behind.

“What the...?” He tries to say, but all that comes out is a pathetic whine.

There is an arm holding up his own, pale fingers circling his wrist, absorbing the rainbow currents coming out from the back of the stones. Huh.

It’s all quite surreal. He can physically feel the touch, yet he knows it’s not really there, not that he’s complaining. Whatever is going on helps with taking the pressure off the colorful mumbo jumbo that’s swirling all over his armour.

“Get a gripIron Man! I cannot hold on forever!” A familiar voice hisses into his ear.

Loki.

What??

No fucking way.

“You’re… supposed to be dead.”

“It is not the time. We have to hurry!”

Tony looks up at Thanos, who seems to have recovered from his shock of having realised that the stones are gone from his gauntlet.

Oh yeah.

That fucking purple sonofabitch! Oh, he so pissed off the wrong people! This is what you get for messing with the Avengers! Inevitable, his ass! He’s fucking Iron Man! That’s like, so much cooler!

“Focus, Stark. You have to snap your fingers before I lose my grasp on the connection!”

He snaps.

The action pulses throughout his whole body then everything stops. The pain, the glow, the pressure in his chest. He takes a deep breath, then another, and slumps forward, no more strength left to keep himself upright.

The presence behind him disappears and he watches as the blurry shape of goddamn Loki, of all people, glides towards the stumbling form of Thanos.

Wait, why is everything blurry? He blinks a few times and feels hot tears trickling down his cheeks. Okay, so that’s why. He’s still dizzy, and barely able to hold his weight with his left arm. It’s shaking really bad. He can’t even feel his right one. The snap arm. He doesn’t look yet, not ready to find out what’s left of it.

He’s such a mess.

“Tony!” The most beautiful voice that ever existed snaps him out of the daze.

Pepper. 

His sweet, amazing Pepper is here, alive, and falling into his arms.

They’re both alive. They survived.

Morgan, oh god, Morgan! It suddenly dawns on him he gets to see his precious noodle again. He gets to watch her grow up, argue with her about getting another llama, he’ll be able to nag her about homework, and possibly even live long enough to see her succeed in adult life...

He wants to cry again.

Everything is going to be ok.

He buries his face in the comforting softness of Pepper’s neck, then lifts his head and kisses her temple, the way he always does. 

“Hey Pep, wild ride, huh?”

“What did I tell you about pulling stunts like this!? You never listen to me...” she tries to scold him, but her voice carries nothing but relief.

They both turn their heads to where Loki is looming over Thanos who already starts to crumble away.

“Look at my face! So it will be the last thing you see before you vanish from existence,” Loki spits out with so much venom Tony has to suppress a shiver. There’s some very personal grudge thing going on here by the looks of it.

Loki stands his ground, glaring daggers at the crumbling form of the Titan until Thanos is nothing but dust in the wind, then he collapses on his knees as if someone cut the invisible strings that were holding him up.

“Loki!!” Thor’s voice breaks through the ringing in Tony’s ears. The Thunderer drops to his knees next to his... let’s go with brother, despite the whole grey area aspect of their relationship.

“What is... How!? Loki, I heard your neck snap... When he... I held your corpse in my arms.”

“There is no trick at work this time. I am truly gone.” Loki shakily stands up and Thor immediately follows.

“Then how...?”

“This is but a mere projection. I have latched my magical signature onto you just before I gave Thanos the space stone. To simplify, it is kind of like a clone, but with an actual me attached to it. I had only one chance to use this form, it was crucial to time it just right.”

“Oh my god, you totally made a horcrux!” Peter pipes in and Tony can’t help but chuckle.

“Pardon?”

“Oh, it’s from Harry Potter? This guy, Voldemort...”

“Not now, kid.”

“Oh, yeah, sorry...”

“Brother, are you saying I am to lose you again?” Thor’s voice carries so much grief, Tony is worried the guy may have a mental breakdown any second. It was bad enough watching him talk about their escape from Asgard and Loki’s death at Thanos’ hand, when he eventually opened up. He can only imagine what it must feel like to have to go through losing your loved one once again.

He tightens his grip on Pepper, if only to reassure himself that she’s really here, still by his side.

“Hey, big guy. We’ve got your back,” He finds himself saying. He’s never been any good at reassuring people, but that never stopped him from running his mouth. “Look at it this way, at least you get to say goodbye. It has to count for something.”

“...Aye.”

“Iron Man. Stark. That was foolish of you to try and use the stones as you are a mortal man, although it gave me the much needed opportunity to aid you. If not for me though, you would have most likely perished.” Loki turns his gaze at Tony and raises an eyebrow. “You are most welcome.”

Normally Tony answers attitude with attitude, but not this time.

“Thank you,” he whispers instead with a tight throat as he leans more into Pepper’s side. He was ready to die in order for his family to live on, so sure there would be no escaping his fate this time. Loki gave him yet another chance. Wow, just wow. 

The guy could ask him to kneel and he would gladly do that at this point.

“If our paths cross again, I shall have that drink you have once offered me,” the trickster says with a smirk.

And you know what? After all they’ve witnessed, Tony doesn’t even think of doubting it could be a possibility. Fucking magic.

“Sure, you got it Reindeer Games. I’ll save the best stuff for you.”

Loki nods and turns back in order to address his brother again.

“Please refrain from doing anything foolish. And... make sure the sun never stops shining on New Asgard.”

“I give you my word, brother. Are you... are you certain there is no way of...?”

Loki rolls his eyes, but he’s not fooling anyone. His face falls as he takes in Thor’s expression. It’s obvious it’s not easy for him to let go either.

“You have always been a sentimental fool, Thor. It is done. I have depleted most of my reserves and it’s time for me to go.”

Thor squares his shoulders and hardens his expression.

Then-

“Loki, I bid you...”

“No!”

“Loki...”

“Don’t ‘Loki’ me. I’m not an Aesir...”

“You are my brother...”

“Adopted!”

“Please, let me.”

“...”

“...”

“...Fine.”

“Loki, I bid you take your place in the halls of Valhalla...Where the brave shall live forever. Nor shall we mourn but rejoice for those that have died the glorious death.”

The trickster lets out an exasperated sigh, although it’s clear to everyone who’s paying at least a bit of attention that the whole display totally pleased him. Tony doesn’t know anything about the details of their rocky relationship, but it’s obvious Thor’s brotherly affection for Loki wasn’t just one-sided after all.

“Farewell Thor. And the rest of the survivors as well.”

Everyone is silent as they watch Loki give them an exaggerated bow and disappear into thin air. Just like that. One second he’s there, in the next he’s gone.

Steve walks up to Thor who seems to be completely frozen in his spot, and places a grounding hand on his shoulder. 

“We’ll make sure he’s not forgotten.”

“Aye.”

“Come on, we should all rest. There is a lot of cleaning up to do afterwards.”

Rest sounds pretty amazing right now.

“Tony, you should get that arm checked out.”

“I’ve got this.” Strange appears out of nowhere and glides to Tony’s right side. “T’Challa kindly offered to host everyone in Wakanda for the time being, and let us use their medical facilities.”

“Lead the way, Gandalf. I need it done and over with as soon as possible. I want to see my daughter and hopefully sleep for the next three days.”

They all present quite a miserable sight, as they step through the portals Strange and his monk friends conjure. All are covered in blood and grime, some limping, most barely awake.

The mighty Avengers.

They have won, yet the victory tastes bitter on Tony’s tongue. 

Nevertheless they have to move forward. Rebuild, restore, and make sure nothing like this ever happens again. And most importantly, they have to stick together.

The Earth’s...no, the Universe’s mightiest heroes.

**Author's Note:**

> A/N:
> 
> This is only a part of a bigger vision I’ve had in my head so hopefully it all makes sense as it is!
> 
> I hinted on possible open interpretation of Loki’s death too (fucking magic, yeah?), because I may be plotting on future frostiron out of it... As in, many years in the future, because there’s no way Tony would leave Pepper pffff! And Morgan, obviously! I’m thinking of some possible angst with Tony being gravely injured and the only way to save him is to make him immortal. Here is where the angst comes to play, because if he agrees - he would have to watch everyone he’s ever loved grow old and die, but if he doesn’t agree - he dies and leaves his family and friends behind. Tony being Tony chooses to suffer himself instead of making them carry the weigh of the loss.  
Hundreds of years in the future something (not sure what yet) causes some havoc in afterlife and all sorts of beings are being mass brought to life across the galaxies, including Loki.  
Tony and Loki will have to work together in order to bring balance to the universe.  
Or something. We’ll see.
> 
> Hope you guys enjoyed it!
> 
> Peace out!


End file.
